Neil Freiman

Toby, are you hopping aboard the cabbage train?

All right, for my final number, a special birthday for a special person.

The legendary author Jane Austen would have turned 250 years old on Tuesday, sparking celebrations all over the world from adoring fans.

In her just 41 years of life, Austen made an indelible mark on the world through her novels, which include Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.

Even people who haven't read her books know that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

They know all about Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, and that's likely because of how many movie and TV adaptations have been inspired by her books.

Did you know that Clueless is a modern retelling of Emma and Bridget Jones's diary is based on Pride and Prejudice?

Well, I didn't, but it speaks to the timelessness of her stories.

Austen's fame has only grown over time.

During World War I and World War II, long after she died, British soldiers were given copies of her books to help them pass the time.

In 2017, her portrait was featured on a new 10-pound note released by the Bank of England.

And these days, Jane Austen-related tourism generates tens of millions of dollars each year as fans seek out the real-life English settings of their favorite scenes.

Compare that to the paltry $67,000 Austen earned over her lifetime as an author who mostly published anonymously as By a Lady.

Toby, how are you partaking in Jane-mania?

All right, let's sprint to the finish with some final headlines.

President Trump gave a primetime address last night defending his handling of the economy at a time when Americans are feeling increasingly downbeat about persistently high costs of basic things like housing, food and utilities.

Trump cast most of the blame on economic woes on his predecessor, Joe Biden.

and that other global leaders have assured him we are, quote, the hottest country anywhere in the world.

It's unclear whether that message will resonate with voters whose views on Trump's handling of the economy have reached an all-time low.

A new NPR PBS News Marist poll found just 36% of Americans approve of it, the lowest level in the six years of that poll.